July 13, 2011 - Westminster, MD

Karen Barbour is recognized as one of the 2011 Brava! Award Winners

The Barbour Group is excited to announce that President, Karen Barbour, has been chosen by Baltimore SmartCEO Magazine as one of Baltimore’s top female business leaders in their fifth annual Brava! Women Business Achievement Awards. The Awards set out to recognize the region’s top female CEO’s who are not only growing successful companies, but are also giving back to the community.

“I am honored to be recognized by Baltimore SmartCEO Magazine for this award and to be in the company of such dynamic women business leaders,” said Barbour. “It has been my goal to grow The Barbour Group very strategically and act as an advocate both for our local community as well as fellow small businesses. This award is a testament to our efforts, our commitment and the successes we’ve achieved both as a woman-owned business and as a team of thought leaders and experts in our field and community."

Barbour established The Barbour Group in 2002 as an independent insurance agency focused on construction bonding and commercial insurance. Over the last 9 years, under Barbour’s leadership, The Barbour Group has become nationally known as one of the most knowledgeable and creative brokers in the business, providing a full spectrum of surety bonding solutions for small to mid-sized Construction Firm, Federal Contractors and Fortune 1,000 companies, such as Hensel Phelps and Bally Technologies. An advocate for the small business community, Barbour is a co-chair on Governor O’Malley’s Commission for Small Business and is involved in many industry trade organizations. In addition, The Barbour Group teams with Lee Gaines of Gaines and Company, Inc., every year for their Party for A Cure event, which raises money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The 2011 event raised over $65,000 in donations, ensuring further studies to find a cure against neuromuscular diseases, and providing children who are affected by these diseases the opportunity to attend a one-week summer camp.

The winners of the Brava! Award will be recognized at a special awards event on Wednesday, July 13th at the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore, MD. The Brava! Award winners are also profiled in a special section of the July issue of Baltimore SmartCEO Magazine.